IV. Nylie

                                    

                                          


                          
LIZZY LOOKED AT NYLIE.
                          
"Don't look at me, I'm not getting up," Nylie said, setting down her mug and stretching her long legs on the couch.
                          
Lizzy sighed. "I'll get it."
                          
"Never doubted you," she said.
                          
Johan threw Nylie a disapproving look, but she pretended not to see as she gazed out the window. It was like someone had taken the darkest ink they could find and splattered it across the sky; there was nothing to see. No light shining except the Moon's. Memories rose up violently at the sight of it, but she shoved them down. Don't feel it, she urged herself. After a moment, the emotions subsided. At least they left when she asked them to.
                          
Nylie did not look even remotely surprised as Rehan and Maynar stalked into the living room, both looking extremely irritated. She smiled at them. She loved it when others were in pain.
                          
She patted the cushion seat beside her. "Rehan, the throne has eagerly awaited your return."
                          
"You mean you have," Lizzy said, padding into the living room. Nylie ignored her.
                          
Rehan walked towards Johan and handed him a strip of paper. Then he took up the space beside her, mint and petrichor washing over Nylie. She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, basking in his scent.
                          
Right at that moment, Angel walked into the room. "Ooh, a party. What are we celebrating?"
                          
"Your soul moving on to the next life," Maynar muttered.
                          
Lizzy laughed. Angel threw her a glare that could only be described as demonic.
                          
She stomped from the room, not even bothering to ask what they were all gathered in the living room for. No doubt she's spying right behind the door, Nylie thought to herself.
                          
Maynar leaned against the wooden table and looked at Johan. "Read the note Rehan gave you."
                          
Lizzy's father said nothing. Then, as if purposely building up anticipation, he slowly opened the slip of paper and read it once. Twice. Three times. And went stark white.
                          
"Let me see," Nylie, Angel, and Lizzy demanded. Johan pursed his lips, shaking his head.
                          
Nylie was halfway off the sofa before Rehan yanked her back down. She glared at him; silent as he was, his grip was steel. Rehan looked at her, his hand still wrapped loosely--but firmly--around her arm. His eyes were dark, emotionless. But it was clear that he would not let her go.
                          
"Father," Lizzy snapped.
                          
"We're going to find out eventually," Nylie reasoned, pretending to relax in Rehan's arms. She felt the surprise radiate off him in the way that she could always tell what he was feeling.
                          
But he did not loosen his grip. He was too smart for that.
                          
"We already read it," Maynar conceded.
                          
Lizzy gaped at him. Nylie rounded on the boy holding her in his arms. "So you can read the note, but I can't?"
                          
As per usual, Rehan did not deign to reply.
                          
Maynar rolled his eyes. "You would've read the note too if someone told you, 'do not, under any circumstances, read this note.'"
                          
"Actually no, I wouldn't," Nylie said.
                          
No one bothered to address the blatant lie.
                          
"What does it say?" Lizzy asked impatiently.
                          
Much to everyone's surprise, Johan leaned forward and handed her the note. He looked just as surprised as the rest of them.
                          
Her brow furrowed as she read it. "The hell does this even mean? It's definitely mysterious, but it doesn't mean a Circe-damned thing."
                          
Nylie snatched the note from her hand and read it.
                          


                          
The time has come.
                          


                          
Nylie raised her brows. "I agree with the half-brained oaf. What does it mean?"
                          
Maynar grinned. "Half-brained oaf?"
                          
Lizzy glared at him. "Don't you even think ab—"
                          
But it looked as if Maynar had already filed it away into his brain for later. Lizzy groaned, throwing Nylie a look that promised vengeance. She smiled blissfully in return.
                          
"So what does it mean?" Maynar inquired, fiddling with a lamp.
                          
"What do you think it means?"
                          
"If I knew what it meant, I wouldn't have asked. Dad," Maynar added respectfully.
                          
Lizzy rolled her eyes.
                          
"You don't understand," Johan said, his face scrunching up as he looked at all of them. He suddenly looked a decade older.
                          
"Everything is about to change for the four of you—well, the five of you. Everything you have come to believe true, is now false. From here on out, trust nothing."
                          
"The five of you? Unless I'm blinder than a bat, I'd say there's only four of us here," Nylie remarked.
                          
Johan sighed. "She's on her way. The other one."
                          
Maynar groaned. "Enough with the riddles."
                          
Johan looked at him, sadness penetrating his eyes. "This is only the beginning, son."
                          
"For. The. Last. Time. Explain the note, please." Lizzy demanded.
                          
It looked like Johan was fighting an inner battle on whether or not he should tell them. But in the end, it looked as if he had no other choice.
                          
"You'll all have to leave for Paravald. Tonight."
                          
And for the second time that night, someone's fist banged on the front door.